The Emperor is on high...

Scene from The Last Emperor, with Lisa Lu as Empress Dowager and Richard Vuu as Puyi

[@jessieblossom3874]

In real life, the Empress Cixi actually died the day after summoning Pu Yi, who was so frightened he screamed in terror upon meeting her. She tried to offer him candy, which only made him scream louder.

[@Dfathurr]

LOL yet it make sense

[@darkwoork]

Sauce, dude, truste me

[@123apacino]

Jessie Blossom Lmfao

[@jessieblossom3874]

Because it was easier to control a toddler.

[@holobeam1920]

Thanks for helping me with my project

[@sunrayz81]

The boy actor must have been very well-trained to remain so calm. All the decorations and the eccentric-looking ladies with scary hair-pieces would have easily scared away most young children or made them cry!

[@jgong5838]

I am adult, a Chinese one and this scene still scares the crap out of me. Yes Kudos to that little actor.

[@MeinGoobbyXI]

@@jgong5838 It Should've been like that since Puyi Actually cried when he saw the Emperor

[@Pedgo1986]

Maybe iam wrong but costumes looks like from different periods. There are two old men one in japan attire second have something that looks like bishop mitre. There are also two young ladies that wear something that looks like phoenix headdress which is reserved only for empress.

[@fleabaguette9699]

In real life, little Pu Yi was absolutely terrified of her. 😂

[@alaindevroe1677]

Fun fact: the dog is the one of the actress who protrayed Cixi. It was not planned to be there. The staff noticed the child love that dog. It was à little trick to keep he calm on this scène

[@susan5244]

For the people asking .."Why turtle soup?".In medieval China it was referred as a sacred animal as it was believed it had quality of longevity to it and turtle won't die in boiling water because it can survive in extreme temperatures .It also the reason it lives for a very long period.

[@prettyfox1969]

Why not used horseshoe crab?, it have million live than turtle Turtle only have thousand

[@susan5244]

@@prettyfox1969 Turtle only lives for 250 years.😂

[@rickrandom6734]

People believe all kind of bullshit.

[@100schlingensief6]

@@rickrandom6734 ofc them Chinese

[@shiyiwang4491]

@@100schlingensief6 What does that supposed to mean? Just because someone else has a different culture doesn't mean their beliefs are not relevant. Sorry not the whole world is white

[@janberkemeier7406]

Although the movie significantly downplays Puyis cruelty towards his servants, cowardice in the face of adversity and neglect of his wife, I'm more disappointed that some of the more hilarious (although sometimes also tragic) episodes of his life didn't make it into the film (as far as I can remember). Some examples: - After being introduced to the telephone by Reginald Johnson, Puyi became addicted to it and would randomly call numbers just to hear the voices on the other end of the line - Against the wishes of his eunuchs, Puyi installed a movie projector in the forbidden city to watch Harold Lloyd films - Shortly before getting married to Wanrong, Puyi planned to leave the Forbidden City and his title of Emperor behind to go study at Oxford. The attempted escape was foiled when Johnson refused to call Puyi a taxi - As the puppet ruler of Manchuria, Puyi was depicted in propaganda as an excellent horseman and archer, true to his Qing ancestry, prompting Emperor Hirohito to gift him a fine horse to inspect the Japanese army on. In actuality, Puyi was scared to death of horses, adamantly refused to ride one and had to be carried along in a hastily arranged carriage - During his "reeducation" in Communist China, Puyi acted in a play as a Manchurian functionary, performing a Kowtow to a picture of himself as Emperor of Manchuria - After being repatriated to Peking with Mao's permission, Puyi was tasked with sweeping the streets near his sister's residence, where he lived. On his first day on the job he got lost, and told passersby that he was Puyi, the last Qing Emperor, that he was staying with relatives and needed help to find the way - During his last years, Puyi tried very hard to be humble, so he would always enter the bus last. This often resulted in him missing the bus as he stood unmoving in front of it or mistook the driver for a passenger

[@solaireastora5394]

​@@Horsemanray you cared enough to comment your displeasure hahaha, the guy is a historian just pointing some interesting things out, no need to get pissy about it.

[@Dave-dl6ql]

@@Horsemanrayhad a rough day?

[@VaioletteWestover]

@@Horsemanray Are you okay?

[@bjornthies6000]

@@Horsemanray did your moomy breastfeed you?

[@istoppedcaring6209]

these actually explain exactly why he would be cruel to his subjects and attendants, he was told for years that he is the child of heaven, essentially a God meanwhile most of the Chinese people and likely most of his people and most of his own attendants no longer or never believed in that BS so when he finally had to face the real world (being blamed for all he did and all that was done by the throne in general) he must have been utterly flabbergasted, when trying to be humble he acted as he expected people to act towards him as emperor +- completely over the top, waiting for affirmation to , in this case, enter the bus I don't think it is right to blame him for even the majority of his wilfull abuses, he was not just never corrected he was taught to act that way.

[@zaihussain9069]

The production, the set, the costume in this movie looks so realistic and aesthetically pleasing. The director of the live action Mulan should’ve taken notes from the people who made this movie.

[@cjyoung4080]

i mean they were never gonna understand the culture with a bunch of white ppl in the back... no matter how many articles u read u aint gonna understand. they relly think we're gonna shell out money because u did an asian movie?? naw... we cud make our own shit.

[@augustinefaithdefender]

Mulan and this are from different periodes in China History, you should research thoroughly before critisizing others!

[@Zergcerebrates]

Mulan is from a different time period. Every Chinese dynasties have different style of clothing. Just like how clothing in Medieval Europe looked different than the colonial era.

[@zaihussain9069]

Interior Castle I’m just talking about how amazing they made China look the imperial palace, the actors, everything looked so professional. I wasn’t talking about the period. You should read before assuming I’m “criticising”others lol

@@zaihussain9069 I'm not criticising you, I'm pointing out that Mulan's producers would've been criticised no matter what they did, since they are targeted for their race and because they're a target in the culture war that the racists are waging. The only racist I see here in CJ Young, with the typical black supremacist bullshit of "They employed white people. Course it was gonna suck". Corrected for his functional illiteracy in the only language he speaks of course.

[@sdlock83]

1:27 Puyi's dad at the time was barely an adult himself, at only 19 years old. Also I find it interesting that the toddler Puyi was played by a Vietnamese actor, the pre-teen Puyi was played by a Tibetan actor, the teenage Puyi was played by a Chinese actor, and the adult Puyi was played by a Sino-British biracial actor.

[@zeiitgeist]

There is no evidence that John Lone was biracial nor less british, he was orphaned at a young age with no clues on who his father was. His stage name is John Lone, which is entirely made up by himself, his real name is Ng Kwok Leung (Cantonese pronunciation) even though he was from Shanghai.

[@loisaustin6200]

@@zeiitgeist I liked John Lone in that role, I don't believe I ever saw him in another movie after this one. I cried at the end when he was old and poor but seemed happier than ever.

[@ChildOfTheFlower]

@@loisaustin6200 I first remember saw as the crime lord in Rush Hour II.

[@AlexKS1992]

@@ChildOfTheFlower Same here, he’s one of my favorite actors.

[@TheAmericanPrometheus]

@@loisaustin6200 his last movie role was in 2007

[@barbiquearea]

"But the Emperor is on high, riding the dragon" At first I thought she meant the guy was doing pot.

[@bennygoodmanisgod]

me too

[@ocgrw8431]

at first i thought she meant he was smoking opium

[@bennygoodmanisgod]

ocg rw me too

[@princekrazie]

OPIUM WARS INTENSIFIES

[@sdlock83]

That's what I thought at first, the emperor was currently smoking opium lol!

[@harisisrarkhan4320]

Queen dies Spartan Monks be like." Its party time"

[@momocha5154]

They are Tibetan monks...

[@seohwalee3968]

I died when you said “Spartan Monks”

[@paralelel849]

@@momocha5154 they do looks like spartans tho.

[@waltersanchez2623]

“Party time! Excellent!”

[@momocha5154]

Paralelel I guess that Spartans wouldn’t dance like them...

[@pyromania1018]

IRL, Puyi, by his own admittance, started crying when he was brought before Cixi. She told someone to offer him sweets, but he threw them down and began screaming for his wet nurse. Fed up, Cixi had him taken away.

[@AlexKS1992]

I don’t blame him. The Empress Dowager was a vile, tyrannical woman.

[@thehistorynerd4845]

Can I have the sources please?

[@pyromania1018]

@@thehistorynerd4845 Puyi's memoirs.

[@axnyslie]

For the most part the film is historically accurate. One part they downplay or completely gloss over was the fact that Puyi was a cruel sadist. He would regularly force his eunuchs to be beaten and tortured for his amusement. This is of course no surprise that a person from birth being told they are an all powerful Emperor would develop a sadomasochist personality.

[@Patrick3183]

Duh they’re Chinese aka psychopaths

[@Eydocia]

I mean,many kids are cruel without realising it. Puyi had propably no childhood ,friends and was manipulated or restricted every minute of his life. Vioelence ,exept a sign of anawarness is also a sign that a child is not raised properly.. It is a bit unfitting to say that someone is a sadist or a masochist [terms mostly used for acts having to do with sexuality] for a minor...

[@mizutofu]

The thing the movie got wrong is that Puyi was a homosexual

[@nazsigoreng]

When she said lord of 10,000 years, it's a no joke bruh puyi is still the (last) emperor until now

[@BhargavSushant]

Xi jingping is latest emperor

[@tsaralexeiromanov5365]

@@BhargavSushant No he is not, he does not hold the mandate of heaven, he does not live in the forbidden city, he does not wear the clothes of an emperor.

[@amesavis]

The chinese word for forever has always been expressed as 10,000 years. Just an oddity of an ancient language. It means forever.

[@youtubeadsarecancer785]

@@BhargavSushant lmao yes you are right, he is the last emperor of the Chinese communism party

[@billcipherproductions1789]

@@tsaralexeiromanov5365 But he has total political power over China.

[@nationalist1910]

It's scary. That she chooses Puyi just before she dies.

[@Bohemian0522]

it's even scarier she knew she wad dying, and decided to have someone murdered the emperor (Guangxu) the day before she died. She did not want Guangxu to rule after her death.

[@Bohemian0522]

CK Lim although it was not on official record, it was widely believed by historians that he was murdered by Cixi. It was no coincidence that Cixi died the day after Guangxu died. Guangxu was under house arrest ever since the ill fated Hundred Days Reform 百日維新, he didn’t hold any power by the time he died. The Late Qing Reform 清末新政 was backed by Cixi after the Boxer Rebellion, the parliament had nothing to do with Guangxu.

[@thuan2493]

@CK Lim I think Cixi wanted Guangxu to die and she did it. She hadn't killed him during 30 years because she was still young, and could rule everything behind the curtain. However in 1908, her illness was so serious that she thought she nearly died, and she decided to poison Quangxu with As so he couldn't change what she had made for the dynasty after she died.

[@Emy-fv5ny]

Why did she chose him? He was a baby!

[@Emy-fv5ny]

@CK Lim Ah ok. It's just that he was a baby, that was strange to me. Thanks for answering!👍

[@fleabaguette9699]

As terrifying, ruthless, and cunning this woman was, I still love how she softens and smiles at little Pu Yi. It humanizes her.

[@biocaster777]

Lady killed her literal son and smiling at her grandson which she clearly see as key asset. It as humanized her as that time she still have her mommy moment with her son...before she poisoned him, of course.

[@matthewcardoza1190]

Too bad that didn’t happen in real life; upon seeing her, Pu Yi supposedly screamed for his nanny because the sight of her scared him. She tried offering him candy, but he only screamed louder; so she got fed up and had him removed from the throne room. Apparently, she didn’t like dealing with small children, especially crying ones. And then she died the next day.

[@acedianPianist]

@@matthewcardoza1190 If I remember, Puyi wrote that she commented something to the effect of calling him a naughty child and to have the court take him away to play.

[@averongodoffire8098]

@@acedianPianist If that’s the case it kinda sounds like she was just too tired to deal with a little kid like “Oh damn it I’m too old for this, take him outside to cool off for a bit and we’ll work it out later…”

[@jamiehernandez4746]

For anyone wondering, the things in their nails are traditional Chinese nail guards, the platformed shoes are known as Manchu shoes mostly worn by noble women, and the headpiece with flowers is known as a Dalachi many Manchu noblewomen wore these towards the end of the Qing dynasty.

[@elimkwok938]

Broke: The Emperor died Woke: The Emperor is riding the dragon

[@CosmiaNebula]

Stoke: The Emperor is flying through the universe as a beam of concentrated energy.

[@simontheman4337]

@Libertate Veritas RIP

[@computerm142]

龍御歸天

[@richmondlandersenfells2238]

LOL

[@souveniehollande979]

Coke: The Emperor is (huffs) uvctcrxt ibononvyctxtvivcubobinpjovufyvibuctcubivubobuvibufyc vucuvinpjpmpbuguvyzydfuufivjxjcjddjdjfmfkdfpfdoxicjvjcyxuvlv!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Rimasta1]

This movie is a masterpiece.

[@jerieragsac882]

Movie title?

[@wfireC]

I agree.

[@mhnpl8140]

@@jerieragsac882 The Last Emperor ._.

[@xxena22]

@@mhnpl8140 what year

Filmed 1987, events of 1908.

[@Zeruel3]

It's a shame Puyi's father Zaifeng wasn't in the film more, when Puyi was offered the throne of Manchukuo Zaifeng warned him he was being an idiot and that they were only going to use him as a powerless puppet

[@pyromania1018]

Yup. Zaifeng, or Prince Chun, refused to join in his son's actions, even refusing to move to Manchukuo despite being repeatedly invited to. Because of his willingness to go along with dissolving the monarchy and his vicious contempt for the Japanese, both the nationalists and the communists thought highly of him. Even after Mao took power, he left the prince alone for the most part. As he got on in years, Chun donated many of his remaining possessions to the nation as a whole, particularly his extensive personal library.

[@Zeruel3]

@@pyromania1018 It's a pity Puyi didn't inherit his fathers wisdom and common sense

[@pyromania1018]

@@Zeruel3 Well, Zaifeng wasn't nearly as spoiled.

[@TheDragiix3]

Honestly I feel like everyone told him he was an idiot, unfortunately it was the man supposed to take charge who was said idiot.

[@Shanaoh]

I think even idiots could have seen that coming.

[@blaisetelfer8499]

I love how Puyi is too little to even register what just happened; just toddles over to his dad and asks if they can go home now

[@Yobidefy]

I just found out that Dowager Cixi is played by Lisa Lu, she also plays the Grandma in Crazy Rich Asian

[@sebastonix]

and also in crazy rich asian

[@Snuffles937]

What? I adored her in crazy rich asians

[@jamesmiller2521]

we were inspired by the hall of mirrors in versailles

[@ladisneyprincesse]

So that was her?

[@towerman123]

What's the name of this movie?

[@suningchen]

As a Chinese it's a shame I have not watched this film, truly powerful this scene is, the angle, the light, the acting just phenomenal, you wouldn't want a Chinese director to make this film, they are full of expositions, always.

[@lucastaylor2321]

You should watch it. It’s an amazing epic.. and even more special is that filming actually took place in the forbidden city.

[@vinterutab2822]

马来代汉,哈哈,滚回东南亚

[@brunoalbano616]

Many Chinese who saw it, cried. It reminded the last terrible decades, in which the people suffered.

[@KinoNowejPrzygody]

Isn't that ironic? The last emperor of Rome was also a child.

[@조대희-m2b]

Last emperor of vietnam was also a child too.

[@samsmith92samsmith]

The last Roman Emperor, Constantine XI Palaiologos, was an adult. The last emperor in the west was a child, but he was in no meaningful way the last Roman Emperor.

[@KinoNowejPrzygody]

@@samsmith92samsmith You are talking about last Byzantine emperor. By your logic even Palaiologos wasn't the last Roman Emperor - that would be Francis II the last Holy Roman Emperor. I'm talking about the last emperor from Rome not some pretenders to the title.

[@samsmith92samsmith]

​@@KinoNowejPrzygody No. This isn't about logic or point of view. It's indisputable historical fact. The Holy Roman Empire was a title created by the papacy, and was entirely unrelated to the Roman Empire. The title of 'Byzantine emperor' did not exist. It's an anachronism, created centuries after the collapse of the Roman Empire in the east. The so called Byzantine emperors was not a pretender, they were the legitimate and indisputable successors of Constantine, Augustus and Caesar. And there was no continuity break between the Roman Empire established by Augustus, and the one centred in Constantinople. The Emperors called themselves 'Emperors of the Romans', and the people called themselves Romans or Romanians. The only difference? The capital. Constantine moved the capital from Rome to Constantinople. Later the empire was internally split into east and west. Incidentally, Rome was not the capital of the western Empire for most of it's existence, nor when it collapsed. So I guess by your logic, the last western emperor Romulus Augustulus wasn't really Roman Emperor, either...

[@KinoNowejPrzygody]

If this is not about logic then there is no point in talking to you. The fact is that the post Romulus Emperors never cared about moving to Rome, recognition of the Roman people or the latin culture. Byzantines rulers quickly abondened their Latin roots and became hellenized with all flaws of that culture - mainly corruption typical for late Greek dynasties like Ptolemaic dynasty or Seleucid. Those hellenized pretenders had lesss and less to do with Latin culture - the majority of people in their domains were Greek speakers. Those are facts. They called themselves Romans yet at the same time majority spoke only Greek and with one exception all of their rulers didn't care about Rome. And of course you are mistaken about Rome. During Vth century it was a capital for the most important institution for the Western World - Roman Church - the seat of bishop of Rome. The same Church that survived the fall of both empires. And this institution embraced Latin culture more than any other by adopting Latin alphabet and language - something that Byzantines were simply not capable of doing.

[@panzerfan]

The actual Dowager Cixi fashioned herself as a Buddha, and she did have herself and her courtiers and eunuchs dress up as Chinese deities in expensive processions within the palace quarters to stroke her own ego, yet she dared not show this side of her out on the royal court in front of the officials. That's how it was with her. She ruled in pretense, clothed herself beyond what is legitimate, donning the emperor's trappings, but dared never sit on the throne that she overlooks from the curtain behind the show.

[@davidw.2791]

panzerfan The whole point of "ruling behind the modesty curtain" was always supposed to be a temporary measure, a regency until the male emperor comes of age. And yet Cixi suffocated two whole emperors' entire reigns until she finally kicked the bucket. (1861-1908) Oh don't get me wrong, there were empress dowagers who were GREAT leaders and smarter than many male monarchs in the history of China, but Cixi was just a reactionary old toad.

[@FireurchinProductionsByzantium]

Emperor in all but name Like Mao after her

[@jliu7118]

David W. if she’s just a old toad, how do you think men in the imperial family were always suppressed by her, never overthrew her?

[@AntonesPap]

@@jliu7118 Cixi was a master manipulator. She was shrewd in court intrigues, using "carrot and stick". She appeared as the guarantor of stability, which Guangxu's well-intended reforms seemed to threaten. The short-sighted and self-seeking bureaucracy rallied behind her. However, Cixi had no vision for China. She only cared about maintaining her own personal power.

[@jonathanlee4511]

The Empress Dowager is painted as a bad person because of rumours from the western powers, politicians within the Imperial Court after death, the nationalists, communists, etc. A lot of the said rumours of her extravagance were over blown. There are records of the expenses recorded by Qing officials of the amounts spent on the summer palace that I’m sure can be looked up. Also, she and her co regent the Empress Dowager Ci’an we’re responsible for deposing conservative regents who they thought were ruining the country by continuing isolationist policies. She in fact invited western generals to lead and modernize the Qing armies, she also invited western merchants to reorganize the economy. She also wanted to do so much more, but because as a whole China was still relatively conservative she feared that westernization and modernization would not bode well with the Chinese population. Furthermore, there is no significant proof that the Empress Dowager murdered her nephew the Emperor Guangxu. Furthermore, her opposition of the hundred day reforms was due to the fact that the Guangxu Emperor was in fact more anti western and had also suspended funding towards the imperial navy. Furthermore, the reforms would have made the Empire a target towards japan and other western power Also, it should be noted that after the Boxer rebellion she did issue an unprecedented edict stating that her actions where wrong in supporting the boxers. Most Chinese leaders and leaders in general would not admit to such things. By the time her rule was ending she did declare her intention of turning the empire into a constitutional monarchy, seeing inspiration from Great Britain and Germany. Also, when one is analyzing her rule, we have to remember that China was still somewhat “medieval” and a lot of the punishments that we today see as inhumane were what was regular at the time. Sure it was wrong, but no different from what Asian rulers did in general for punishment. All in all the Empress Dowager did have her flaws, but was no way near as incompetent as everyone says she is.

[@davidpar2]

I went to see this movie with my parents when it came out; I was 11 and got very little out of it at the time. Other than to deem it very weird, particularly the attempted suicide scene, the lesbian scene, the spitting empress scene, the "mouse thrown into the gate" scene, and this scene. Was really too young to appreciate such a plot. Definitely enjoy it now, as an adult

[@RexMcMonkey]

Don't forget the eunuchs carrying their "organs."

[@georgeofhamilton]

I'm pretty old now, and it still seems really weird.

[@charmander777]

the empress spitting scene lmfao. yeah i remember that. it was disturbing for me . i think i was around 11 as well. this movie is a masterpiece. not sure if they can make something like this today. great casting. perfect.

[@2bin]

Actually you got a lot of the movie at a young age. Director Bertollucci admitted that he purposely "exoticized" the content to make it mysterious, erotic and engaging. He said he's a storyteller, not a historian.

[@linnyw1072]

I watched when i was carrying my daughter and thought of nameing her pu yi

[@Reaper1722]

Everything about this scene feels so surreal. The room, the Empress herself.

[@fahadopel8658]

Its amazing just more than 100 years ago, there was a Chinese Monarch. Just imagine if it still was present and seeing the Forbidden City in its ceremonial and residential use

[@dolamrothknight]

id just google map it. just use the street views. this was a joke so plz dont respond

[@jw8395]

I don't know what to think of Cixi. Some call her a hedonistic tyrant, while others claim that she didn't disagree with reform on a personal level but felt that China wasn't ready for it yet. And that may be the case. You cannot pull a complete political overhaul and expect it to immediately start working, especially if the previous system has been around for so long. Change is a very dangerous game to play, and rapid change with a lack of long-term planning, tact, and patience makes it even more problematic.

[@panzerfan]

+Cheapsunglasses She was the most formidable politician of her time. Not a visionary, not a statesman, not a diplomat, but an absolute master of court intrigues and politicking. I think that policies were tertiary to her, who treats her desires and the balance of power first and foremost. The hundred day reforms would greatly undermine the sovereign and that of her accumulated power, so they cannot be tolerated.

[@jasondenton5432]

Which is what is calldd a dictator, either way her lack if reform led to the death of imperial China along with the rise of communism. She is an utter failure, a power hungry blind slut. Look at men like Kublai Khan, the Yongoe Emperor, in comparison to the. She is an utter failure

[@jasondenton5432]

***** So you're foretelling my destiny? I wouldn't bet on that. And peasant? really, a university educated, doing masters degree, two jobs, political party having peasant? I may die before I achieve my gaols in life, but I am no peasant, whether it is my drive and dedication to what I do, or the vision I have and the many friends who look up to me. I can become great and that is what I strive for! The woman was a demonic slut, she had no foresight nor ambition, all she wanted was power, power is good and all, but if you end up doing nothing with it, either bad or good and just sit on it, you are worst that a scum. I say let history remember the witch for the whore she was, the worst are always better remembered, I'd die happy knowing that I have done a lot in my life and I am only 20 years old, then again, the way things are, I would rather be forgotten than be remembered by all the sheeps around

[@nandicarv]

I recommend reading her biography by Jung Chang. She is one of the most interesting monarchs in modernity. Chang clarifies most myths around her character.

[@panzerfan]

Cixi was so ruthless to the point of slightly smirking over beating a eunuch to death for making too much noise, yet she would weep to herself over her dead son at his part of the imperial tomb. That's her.

[@naotmaa6103]

Lisa Lu was chillingly amazing. She barely had 5 minutes of screen time but WOW. For me her scene steals the whole movie

[@jasontsimnujyang5186]

That poor turtle, just slowly simmering and cooking in that pot...

[@gregorjerman973]

They been Drinking Gold Silver and other Stuffs for Longevity Poor Humans.

[@nuclearbriefcase7259]

@@gregorjerman973 and biggest comedy they know it is poisoning there system

[@MANILABOY6631]

Longevity..

[@julioalbertoherrera1339]

That poor bat...

[@dominiclc5009]

Thought that was an actual human body... I was screaming out loud lol

[@marcusulpiustraianus6096]

The 80's had very good epic movies, like Gandhi, The Mission, Revolution and The Last Emperor.

[@leec21]

Lisa Lu has been played Cixi at least 4 times in movies. She won Taiwan’s Golden Horse award for best actress in 1975 for her great performance as Cixi

[@christinecameron1612]

It's generally presumed that she chose Puyi to be her next puppet emperor, but then she died very suddenly, despite being in good health and having active plans. There are rumors she may have been poisoned.

[@alexhauser5043]

She was 72 at the time of her death, you know. At that age, people tend to spontaneously drop dead.

[@joaanyu1479]

Its the most excellent movie that depicts ancient china . Even our china producers cant even acheive. . Bernardo bertolucci the man behind this artistic masterpiece movie is the genius... the best of the best. Such careful and detailed work and effort by the people behind this movie can be seen in all aspects of the whole movie. The movie can absorb the audience into that era and the audience get so lost inside the movie, and when the movie is over... seems that you will wake up still in awe . Not many movies can reach that standards. No wonder they were awarded so many awards. You left a legacy sir bernardo... respect you and love your works and what makes me respect you is that you are not even chinese and you can do it so well.

[@brucejackson6451]

"The movie can absorb the audience into that era and the audience get so lost inside the movie, and when the movie is over... seems that you will wake up still in awe." Very well said, it sealed my decision to find and watch this movie, so thank you.

[@joaanyu1479]

@@brucejackson6451 Im glad my comments gave you some insight about the movie and glad that ypu decided to find this movie...go for it.. do some time travelling. Let me know what you think after watching

[@johnyricco1220]

20 years later a warlord’s soldiers looted her tomb, extracted the pearl and threw her body from the coffin.

[@billcipherproductions1789]

That's so ... SAD. But then again, China was desperate in the 1920s.

[@SelfProclaimedEmperor]

@@billcipherproductions1789 They didn't do it for the money, they did it to defile Qing tombs as they hated the Qing dynasty, though of course they would have kept any valuables.

[@marioestudillo9542]

Not only Cixi's tomb, they also destroyed the tombs of all the emperors, their empresses, princes and princesses and also the tombs of their noble imperial consorts, concubines and noble ladies who received the privilege of being buried with their Emperor.

[@nmw062083]

Italian Director, Chinese history, English speaking, Japanese musician's ost. What a global movie it is.

[@Nikephoros7770]

The mantra chanting sends shivers down the spine

[@dracokaiser]

It’s the long mantra for the deceased/dying from the Tibetan book of the dead

[@victorkong82]

In contrast, when Theodore Roosevelt's teenaged daughter Alice visited China, Cixi was so intimidated by her confidence that she showered Alice with presents to placate her. Alice was a badass who smoked, drank, raced cars, gambled, and lived to meet every US President of her lifetime from Benjamin Harrison to Jimmy Carter.

[@AlexKS1992]

I'd pay big money to see the Empress dowager cower.

[@Andrea-nom]

Really? Alice and Cixi is the movie I want to to see

[@valeria-militiamessalina5672]

She was a closeted lesbian, so...rumor has it.

[@nfspbarrister5681]

Not as intimidated as to envious of alice. Or in love too. In china, girls...well..not given freedom, cixi not knowing that alice was also an outlier girl of her time.

[@redshuttleredacted6422]

@@valeria-militiamessalina5672 prof?

[@Vejur9000]

People forget that creating a visual story and a great film, cannot always be about a strict adherence to all historical facts. That is the art of filmmaking vs. documentary…. The Last Emperor is still a stunning sumptuous achievement in film, and worthy of all its nominations, as a classic motion picture.

[@ABACUStoPC]

This movie was made in 1987... but this scene (little Puyi meeting empress Cixi) still gives me chills every time, such a well crafted film

[@lulubell9711]

1987?!! Wow..

[@CIAinTaiwanAndUkraine]

That's before the Tiannanmen Square massacre !

[@JRichard86]

Actually it was shot in 1986

[@jakenguyen4253]

Old historical movies have a certain charm that no other genre can recreate

[@sam510938764]

Because everything was faithfully re-created without substituting it with cheap CGI or green screens. The enthronement scene in this film had thousands of real people as actors and took place in front of the actual Hall of Supreme Harmony. Another problem is with higher definition footages it becomes harder to re-create the "grime" of historical scenes, and many props end up looking overly new and plastic in contemporary history films.

[@marcox2937]

Puyi became Emperor when he haven’t even learnt to walk

[@comradeleppi2000]

Lol true

[@OrthodoxofUSA]

She did the best acting in the whole movie.

[@OrthodoxofUSA]

@d R You have a good point. It's really not that hard to do a movie in the authentic language and put in subtitles, especially if the cast already speaks that language. I think most audiences were too lazy to read the subtitles, and the producers knew it, so they decided to make the movie in English.

[@thenablade858]

@@OrthodoxofUSA It is an American film so it’s mostly in English. This is because most American viewers at the time did not like to read subtitles, so they wanted the film to reach a wider audience.

[@phokrizatmayirnao3346]

I turned up the volume and was listening diligently to what she was saying and then, boom, 5:49, the clangs! 😀😀

[@davidw.2791]

Phokrizat Mayirnao Proof that the old witch is really dead or else she'd surely jolt awake. 😄

[@slam2260]

Right !

[@naveens696]

I can feel you.

[@mohamedafiq657]

Yes.. i feel u

[@budgetsilksongcomposer1479]

Chinese cymbals are for scaring away evil spirts. The guys in the movie don't want evil corrupting the empresses' soul. You got scared... are... you... a....

[@sushimovietime]

When the prince bows to the new emperor: possibly the very moment a small, innocent child was stripped of all his humanity

[@blaisetelfer8499]

it's an amazing shot

[@irawilliams343]

Cixi was looking for a another boy emperor to manipulate but sadly (though grateful in some way) she died before she could continue her hedonistic rule

[@jaja82505]

RIP Mr.turtle (1768-1912) he got boiled to death in the pot by the cooks XD

[@pola5392]

They aren't cooking it. It was believed that tortoises had qualities of longevity which is why they offered the empress the water from where the tortoise was.

[@Dtt4]

@@pola5392 Did you not hear the boiling/simmering sounds?

[@JD-kf2ki]

1768??

[@kwangmyongsong4887]

**1908

[@imdhepchannel7153]

@@Dtt4 no, its for keeping it relax and oozes good qualities of happy liquids

[@RSx94]

5:48 When the music teacher leaves the room for 2 minutes.

[@08MrPancakes]

Pu Yi’s father was in effect the true last Emperor since as regent he was the one who actually held power. Twice, when he actually ruled China until he stepped down and later took over the court when the Republic was established . Funny enough his later family would still hold some influence sunce his son (pu yi’s half brother) and grandson became politicians in modern China

[@marcuslee74239]

The poor turtle...

[@einar05]

Marcus L

[@kgmyatthu3171]

Rob , i thought you were dead..........

[@Bohemian0522]

you know what, Chinese people still eat turtles today.

[@holesnow4133]

Chris Chan Where? It’d have to be on the black market, no one in my entire chinese family has eaten turtle.

[@rayray6490]

Joke's on her, that turtle soup probably hastened her death

[@MyPerspectiveOnly]

"The Emperor is on high, riding the dragon now" after that I was expecting her say 'Don't do drugs'

[@tuberobotto]

Bertolucci died last year but he left a magnificent legacy that's just wonderful to the eyes. Classic at every angle. I also loved both music by David Byrne and of course, the ubiquitous Ryuichi Sakamoto who btw, also acted briefly in one of this film's segment as a Japanese officer. Great film! Great story-telling.

[@mactavish2401]

These scene is so heartbreaking. PuYi lost his mom in forced way while he don't know anything. The corrupted and dying dowager crown poor little PuYi to become the last emperor (that later become royal crown prisoner of the forbidden city). You need lot of gut and emotion stabilizer to watch these scene.

[@bluecanary1note]

I just love the sinister, scary face and voice of the old Empress when she says "He died todayyyy".

[@nassauguy48]

China, its history and its people are fascinating! Love and admiration from Greece!

[@rencechannel2240]

China and Greece are one of the great superpowers of the ancient world. From a Chinese descent here.

[@nassauguy48]

@@rencechannel2240 We are close allies as well. Mutual respect. China has definitely helped us pull ourselves out of our economic crisis. Many thanks!

[@jasonhuang6078]

This is Manchu Dynasty, our people were oppressed.

[@americamtheantitankie4843]

Yeah it is, too bad communists have almost completely destroyed china's culture

[@majungasaurusaaaa]

@@jasonhuang6078 Does it matter if the oppressors are foreign or of your own ethnicity? You'd be oppressed just as badly by any Han dynasty.

[@LAVATORR]

"And look at the Forbidden City!" "I can't, it's forbidden."

[@TheSecretHarp]

Something about this short scene takes me to another planet. Somewhere unreachable and intangible.

[@reseviladik]

i really like Old chinese history. i like their clothing and palaces

[@緊那羅的遊戲解說]

The last women riding on dragon(king/emperor) But she was cause the end of the dynasty....

[@eric3255]

孝仪纯皇后 No, it was the fault of all the corruption in the inner court. I think that if it wasn’t for Cixi, Qing would’ve fallen earlier.

[@fionagoode3388]

Miss Wei, control yourself. Your son was not playing a somewhat good role in the royal family's history.

[@NounOzlos]

More like she held it together for 50 years. I firmly believe the Qing would have been finished decades earlier if she hadn't so firmly consolidated her power.

[@緊那羅的遊戲解說]

@@fionagoode3388 yes dowegwer.... I will follow your madam instructions...

[@matrimcauthon7937]

There were many causes, not least of which was that the world had changed, and that mode of government no longer worked.

[@Sawrattan]

It reminds me of the Emperor's Death in "The Dark Crystal", the decayed courtly setting of "Game of Thrones", and the Queen in "Aliens"

[@MogeChi]

Every in this movie is amazing, a magical Soundtrack and great actors,an interesting story and increidble film... So, no words.

[@socall1943]

儀式やらウミガメのスープやら黒い玉やら 悪意を感じてしまうが やはりそういった恐ろしくも神聖な人間の心を惹き付けるものを打ち出している これもまた素晴らしい表現の世界

[@SciModeler]

This scene is still scary for me. I don't know why.

[@SimonSheets]

"Are we going home papa?" I'm afraid not...

[@markanthonymianacyberworld420]

I am Filipino from, Tondo, Manila, Philippines 🇵🇭 and i love the Dragon Chinese Empire of Manchus Qing Dynasty! 🇨🇳♥️ 🎆 Very beautiful nation!

[@bartoloirias6961]

One of the greatest movies ever! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@jessieblossom3874]

@3:57, "He died today..." then Cixi laughs. She laughed because she knows she murdered the Emperor. She knew she was dying and poisoned him so he couldn't change any of the imperial laws after she was gone. There is no actual proof of this of course, but the writing is definitely on the wall.

[@kyoshinronin]

Very interesting!

[@jessieblossom3874]

Yes, Cixi was a very interesting person, to say the least. Lol.

[@ignmasayuki]

the current gov had the late Emperor Guangxu's body exhumed. The post mortem report has found a great deal of arsenic in his system .. thus he was poisoned.

[@bob5201966]

Nice quality upload in 720p. I love the clarity and richness of colour. Would love to see a full movie upload. In English as well.

[@jerolvilladolid]

4:11 Brings new meaning to the word turtle soup!

[@davidw.2791]

jerolvilladolid I hope the turtle shat in the water.

[@baimibrahim5626]

Eew , was that turtle soup ?!

[@Vahn-xc1gc]

It being cooked gently too.

[@claytondefreitas9521]

She was greatly feared many thought she had witch like powers

[@Sawrattan]

There's something epic about films which begin with a dying emperor/tyrant (Last Emperor, Dark Crystal, Elizabeth).

[@timhuang6112]

It is a good movie. But the English dialogues is awkward for Chinese who can understand the English well.

[@victorkong82]

The sound editing and ADR is also terrible. I can't tell if they've dubbed them in certain scenes

[@victorkong82]

@Fyfhfr 1088 You're needlessly opinionated and biased.

[@fionagoode3388]

@Fyfhfr 1088 This is a movie, not a time machine that helps you go back to 19c to see what was really happening. So if you are interested in the real Cixi Dowager, plz read those historic document, which even does not have to be the truth either. And you just want to see what you think Cixi looks like, and piss all over things different from what you prefer.

[@TomorrowWeLive]

Yeah, they should have just had Chinese dialogue with English subtitles

[@Wandrative]

THEY SPOKE MANCHURIAN Especially the royal court And in this scene its basically all Manchus and Tibetans

[@photon812]

This was a depiction of the 20th century. Let that sink in.

[@AA-yb5np]

Had a slight heart attack when that dude hit the Gong

[@junesilvermanb2979]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myocardial_infarction

[@antoniodinoto3174]

Only an Italian director would have been allowed to film this masterpiece in those days

[@user-sg4wr3zw3e]

เป็นหนังที่ดีที่สุดในความคิดผมนะ เนื้อหากระชับเเละรัดรวบ ขอบคุณผู้สร้างที่ททำหนังเรื่องนี้

[@gasparocelloman9852]

Apparently Cixi hated the smell of incense and instead of having incense burners in her apartments she had mountains of fruit in large bowls put about the place to sweeten the air.

[@ysevanlee7489]

The Tibetan monks are wearing ceremonial yellow hats that belong to the Gelugpa sect. The black marble in Empress Cixi's mouth is called hanfan (含饭), which is like a Chinese equivalent of Charon's obol.

[@vcxlll]

300 Spartans sat outside waiting for the empress dowager to pass on, before prancing into the room playing funny instruments.

[@naufala93]

It’s tibetan monks

[@WenD1908]

I loved this movie, I learned so much from it. The cinematography was amazing and John Lone was oh-so-easy on eyes😉

[@medz18]

Saw this movie a dozen times and still love every minute of it

[@jamiehernandez4746]

Empress Dowager Cixi was such an iconic woman, and the consorts their all just so elegant!

[@CharlesJoseph_MSc]

She was a evill. She slept with a man and when her sister found out, she killed he sister.

[@drumsalive]

Holy crap those poor people in headlocks ... 🤕

At least they lined them up tallest to shortest, imagine if they'd placed the short one in the centre instead...she'd have chocked to death as the others simply stood up.

[@holgerdanske9067]

Its called a cangue.

[@83056]

I wonder what were their crimes! Seems barbaric.

[@angelabby2379]

@@83056 the whole qing dynasty is barbaric manchurian rulers, u see the empress clothing freaking look like a cockroach while in previous dynasties they would wore something like 2:50 the women in the right, she is wearing clothes like chinese deities instead of manchurian qipao

[@0614Rei]

what? where?

[@Tengen66W]

The little kid is so good at acting

[@loisaustin6200]

He is so cute, just a baby still really.

[@barbarbarbar2]

0:05 that was the old electronic tag for crime probation. The supervisor and the criminal were locked together

[@0614Rei]

great way to be a supervisor

[@I.LikeCars]

This movie was visually beautiful piece of art

[@iHusk]

MORE TURTLE WATER YOUR EMPRESS DEMANDS IT

[@kenh86]

The atmospheric environment scene looks dead and kind of creepy in the beginning. Also the empress and her servants looks old and scary, nowhere looks like the Chinese dramas.

[@Yuge428]

Cause that’s how it was. China was in decline, less money for maintenance, army, palaces, and public infrastructure. They refused to accept the modern world and because of that they had before too old to exist in the 20th century. Their denial of modernising army and reforms led to their loss at the hands of foreign powers.

[@qworky902]

Well, if it were a Chinese drama, everyone would be stunningly good-looking.

[@梁英豪-v5i]

???

[@luxborealis]

Neither interpretation is totally correct. Chinese dramas tend to spruce up the Forbidden City and make it looks shining bright like it is 1644 again, while this movie purposefully showed the age decrepitness of the Qing dynasty by making the scene dusty and quiet. I think the most accurate portrayal I have seen is the film The Revolution of 1912, which is a Western-Chinese coproduction and tries to be an as accurate representation of real life as possible. The Empress Dowager (not Cixi) looks a bit silly in it, being dressed in very ostentatious and antiquated fashion, but the other courtiers wear accurate clothes for the late Qing and the Forbidden City is sunbleached but clean.

[@G8000........]

@@Yuge428 it wasn't declining the west was causing war and stealing from them. That was not a good new change too

[@changcheng4954]

The Empress Dowager Longyu was a nice well mannered noble lady，died at only 45 years old. Before her death, she look at Puyi for a long time and said: you were born in royal family yet haven't got a chance to govern the country, now your country is gone and I am going to leave this world. You are going to take care of yourself alone on your rough future journey. Also, Cixi and Longyu both came from Yehe-Nala clan whose ancestors were killed by Aisin Gioro's Nurhaci, founder of Qing dynasty. There was a curse that Qing would be dethroned by people from Yehe Nala clan. The curse turned into truth.

[@weedchuck420]

I watched this with my uncle when i was 11, he was passed out after drinking his 40 of whiskey, I Have to watch it again to understand what happened.

[@manoharalisa5829]

You don't drink alcohol it bad for your heatlh.

[@seliamila1005]

​@@manoharalisa5829 bruh lots of people are drinking alcohol and they are fine

[@Otaku155]

Yeah, the Emperor is on high...after Cixi had him poisoned.

[@nowhereman6019]

6:18 and just like that, Puyi no longer had a father.

[@MisterTutor2010]

Lord of 10,000 years, didn't even last 10.

[@JoeGuan335]

THIS IS AMAZING!!!! I have never seen something this real before

[@richierichnumber1]

I love this scene with an Empress Dowager. An Empress out ranks a Queen, England.

[@Ryan.90]

+Myron Martin Ah but the Empress Dowager Cixi's contemporary Victoria wasn't only Queen of Great Britain and Ireland she was also Empress of India on the side :P

[@princessalexandra1613]

Queen Regent is higher than Empress consort.

[@RichardBill]

England was like Star Trek compared to China at this time. Dowager Cixi wasn't even remotely on the same level as Victoria

[@Rockierambo1]

The Empress Dowager Ci Xi had the power of life and death over millions of Chinese citizens, Victoria the Queen of England was a figure head of a constitutional monarchy. Ci Xi was the most powerful woman of her time.

[@maerythegreek9008]

English queens could have been called emperesses because British was an Empire and Emperor-ess is the person who rules the empire. Soo it's the same in this case

[@scottgarver5782]

The actor who played Puyi's father is exquisitely handsome.

[@JM-zj6jj]

All feel all kind of emotion while watching this movie. Im from the Philippines and i really love the movie.

[@sdlock83]

3:12 "And they call me... the old Boh-duh." Lol! It's May 2020. Can't believe Lisa Lu is still alive and kicking!

[@jamiehernandez4746]

Yes she was called the old Buddha, and Lisa Lu was young at this time they put makeup on her to make her seem older!

[@sdlock83]

@@jamiehernandez4746 They probably needed a young actress at the time to be strong enough to wear that big heavy headdress, and can withstand those layers of makeup.

[@jamiehernandez4746]

@@sdlock83 haha yes!

[@romeforeverr]

@@jamiehernandez4746 she wasn’t exactly young, she was 60.

[@sdlock83]

@@romeforeverr Lisa Lu was only in her 20s when she played this role.

[@achaudhari101]

And just think Mao Zedong was 15 when Cixi died.

[@junesilvermanb2979]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao_Zedong

[@LinhTran-et3mi]

This is the only movie shot in the Forbidden City!

[@fizzul15]

1987 movie but the cinematic scene is really next level from that time

[@HueyRocks23]

"This movie should've won the Oscar that year for..... ....oh, really? 9 Oscars? Oh wow. Way to go!"